Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-04
TAMPA,


assuming the dimensions OF a thriving and
busy seaport. Within the past twelve
months fonr City, suburb connected
with the town by a street railroad pro-
PEELED by eteam, has been settled and I'm.
mense cigar manufactures established.
Is population, composed largely OF Span
lards and natives OF Cuba, already num-
bers more than 1900 ana continues to III
crease. The pay roll of the employees
sums up thousands of dollars per month,
the major part OF which is dIsbursed at
home to the great benefit OF the c0mmu-
nltv.
AS the entrepot OF the trade OF the
West Indies and South America, the i'm
portance OF Tampa can hardly be overestl-
mated, and when this fact becomes pat
emf to our national Legislature the recent
meagre appropriation for the improve
ment OF the Larbor Will dou btless be large
ly augmented. With moderate outlay the
largest ships could discharge their car
goes at her wharves. At this time a line
OF steams ships owned by the "Plant Sys-
TEN" plies regularly between Tampa and
Havana, touching at Key West, another
runs to Nassau, n. T., third to Mobile.
Ala, and still another coastwise to Cedar
Key and intermediate points.
TWO RAILWAY LINES
also will soou connect this semi-tr0pical
seaport with all parts OF the Union,
stfordng competitive through freight
rates to the principal Northern and Wes-
tern cities.
With these commercial. ADVANTAGES,
which, albeit In their infancy have
already accomplished 80 much, what a
bright future Jaw aits Fiorida's southern
metropolis. Here again the writer en-
Joyed The hospitality of Capt. White, the
Jolly host of the st. James Hotel winch
is as popular as ever, and is under many
obligations, ,aisq, to
MN. s. A. JONES,
the wide awake real estate agent and
proprietor or the Orange Grove Hotel.
But these jottlnss were emphaticaily
taken ION the l7w1ng, y and your scribe al
ter two daysNsojourn only, found himself
on the ran again, h0meward bound.
Another route was chosen. however, over
the South Florida and Jacksonville,
Tampa and Key West roads, via Plant
CITY, Lakeland, Barlow, Fort Mead, Kis-
simmee, Orlando, Sanford, Palatka and
Jacksonville.
The time and space too would tail us to
speak in detail OF these Places, which Will
be visited again later in the winter pro5a-
bly,, and their progress during the past
year duly noted. For the benedt OF trav-
elers, we would simply state, how
bhdS az buC DOsS L1OuS6 III Lake.
land, the Barlow House al Barlow, Bull
locks, in Fort Mead, the elegant "Propi-
caP' at kissimmee, the 'Charleston," I'M
der its new management, in Orlando, the
"EN erglade" at SANFORD, under the direc-
ton OF The polite fand rrepress Dla w. 3.
Dledrlch, OF Georgia memory the PheniX,
with it's hobby Accommodations at Pa
latka, and tue
GRAND NEW EVERETT
in Jacksonville, which has no superior on
Broadway, New York, the Tired man uf
business, invalid or tourist may procure
n eoful rest, good cheer and hospItable
en- ertainmeut.
The orange groves around Fort Mead
loaded down with their golden fruit are
calculated to perpeiuate the sn.called
''orange craze" No finer are to be found
in Florida. The writer saw extensive Or
chards In which the trees would average
from 1900 to 1900 oranges each.
We conclude this desultory epistle with
an interesting interview with one of
Florida's most celebrated developers and
beneiactors,
GEN. II. s. SANFORD,
Minister to Belgium. The General came
from Connecticut to F Orida in 1869 and
purchased from Gen. Finuegan an area OF
territory embracing twenty-three square
miles. which was one of the original Lew
Spanish grants, confirmed by the United
States Supreme Court under our treaty
IN 1928, but now commonly known as tue
stanford grant" He began opening no
the grant by the erection OF a saw mill
and wharf and stocking 100 acres with
young orange trees the following year
lSO) on what now forms a pat of the
town that bears his name. A colony of
sixty negroes, Introduced at the same
time BY the proprietor. were exp lied
vi ct arms by the indignant white resi-
dents, who proclaimed it to be
WHITE MANS COUNTRY
only. In the melee one OF The number
was killed and several wounded. 1t was
this incident that led to the importa-
tiOn OF 100 adult emigrants from UpsaIa.
sweden, by whom bue village ca led bV
the same name Was settled in the centre
Of the grant," near the Generals
famous Belar grove. which contains l35
acres If Oearin gyorauge trees. These for
eigners have tnriven, and some of them
are the owners OF considerable property.
1t was in 1871 that
SANFORD
was foundedand regularly laid out. In
that year the proprietor opened a
rad eight miles in length INFO the IN
trodden interior, ereGted motel aud
placed the towA3Oss ZIP 30 the market.
At The same time. through tue untirine
eXertiOns of Mrs. sanford, Tue first house
OF religious worsbIalAsss built. Inc loca-
ton, fronting the shpres OF Lake Monroe.
is very plcturesque,S AHA the groves OF
cabbage palmetto that were left standing
impart unique and tropical aspect 10
the place One suburb II devoted TO the
cOlOred people, VINO have acquired their
homes by pure a~e, ana established their
own schOols and churches. They mum Der
500 souls.
six years ago
EX PRESIDENT GRANT
turned the first sod In the construction Of
the South Florida railroad, then the mos
sou hern highway of the kind in the
Union. Gen. Sanford graded the first
three miles himself and donated to The
corporation the largest portion OF their
city property.
In 1860 the whole OF Orange county
contained but 1920 inhabitants and two
post Offices, and two steambOa suticed
for the operations of commerce. Now the
population is 10000, ADD that OF Sanford
1900, while the latter, u great railroad
centre, sends forth forty trains OF cars
every dav. Who can estimate what an
other decade will develop in the progress
sive history OF this tnrivIng town. PTssi-
dent Arthur was the guest OF Gen SAN
ford when he visited the city four years
4 . h.. 49,.